Treating Herpes with Simple Home Remedies

Medical science is yet to come up with a cure for herpes, which means that people living with this sexually transmitted disease may have to continue to do so their entire lives. Living with herpes usually means a heavy dependence on symptom relieving medications and regular doctor appointments. It’s a good thing you don’t have to rely on them completely for getting relief from your painful symptoms. If you do not want to keep going to doctors, and want relief at home, you can try out the following remedies.

Warm Sitz Baths

A warm bath can immediately bring comfort to your body, especially when parts of it are aching. A sitz bath is a special kind of bath, where you fill your tub only enough to immerse your hips and the genital area. This bath cleanses your entire perineum and gives you immediate relief. You can alternate between warm and cool water. This will not only cleanse the area and soothe it, but will also increase the blood flow and help heal the sores faster. This is a great way to treat a number of other lower body conditions, including hemorrhoids and anal fissures.

Baking Soda

This is one of the most popular ingredients around the house and can be used to clean and dry. If you have painful, bleeding, open sores, you can sprinkle some baking soda on them to dry them out. If you do not have baking soda at hand, you can also use cornstarch instead. It may burn slightly when you apply the soda, but it will soon stop burning and itching, giving you long term relief from the pain and discomfort.

Lysine

This is a natural amino acid found in several food products. This natural supplement is known to suppress and inhibit the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). Consuming Lysine can help you prolong the period of remission between two successive outbreaks. However, before you take this, or any other supplement, do consult your doctor ad find out if it is safe for you to consume them.

Green Tea

It is no secret that green tea is full of healthy and healing antioxidants. Drinking green tea regularly can help improve your overall health profile. However, green tea can also be really helpful in relieving herpes symptoms. To use a tea bag on your sores, heat the water enough to steep a tea bag in it. Once the water is hot enough, dip the tea bag and leave it in the pot for a few minutes. Then cool the tea bag and place it on your sores. If you have too many sores, you can steep the tea bag in the water for about 15 minutes, then cool the water, soak a cheese cloth in it and apply the cloth to the affected areas. The cool tea will not only soothe your sores, but will also help in healing them.

Ice

Icing an area which is burning or itching is a very common practice. So if you have painful, open sores, ice the area for some time. This will soothe the sores and help relieve pain. However, do not apply the ice directly to the area. Try to keep your sores dry and use the ice only through a water resistance ice pack.